I Promise
by Stary0706
Summary: Just a little one shot about H/HR, and how they spend their last night together. R/R please!


_Disclaimer: I own NOTHING, nor do I wish to get sued._

_A/N- This just came to me last night around midnight... so I suppose it would be this morning at midnight. It's short and sweet. Hope you like it! Read and Revew Please. Oh and don't forget to to check out the new chapter of Tragedy if you haven't already!_

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It was a cool summer night at The Burrow, though it was practically morning. Hermione and Harry sat under a tree in the grove, which overlooked the field and a clear navy sky. Stars above twinkled and the full moon lit up the entire sky. Feeling her shiver as she was curled up against his left side, Harry willingly gave her his sweatshirt which he insisted she took, which she did after a bit of convincing. She pulled the green hoodie over her head, and felt instant warmth against the cool wind that blew across the field. She shifted her position against him to get as close as humanly possible to him. She stood up, causing him to question her motive, but he stopped once she sat between his legs, leaning her back flat up against his chest, her head lying right under his chin. He wrapped his arms around her, clasping both her hands in his as they sat, not talking, just enjoying their last night together for a while.

* * *

It was just five short months before that they realized they loved one another, more than just brother and sister, like they had originally thought. They were in their eighth and final year of Hogwarts, and were in quite a heated argument in the middle of the Gryffindor common room about something that Harry said about Hermione, which was originally meant in jest, turned the stressed out girl to spiral into a rant, her eyes blazing.  
"Don't CALL ME THAT!"

"Call you what?!"

"An insufferable know-it-all!"  
"Well you are." Harry teased his best friend.

Her face turned stony as they walked to the sixth floor, "I am not!"

"What the hell is your problem today?" He asked, "I was just joking."  
"I'm sick and tired of your jokes! I pulled you through your entire school career! I was the one who forced you to study."  
"Force me? You think I studied because of YOU? Doubtful."

"Well, you sure as hell didn't do it for your grades, because they have always been mediocre."

"That's only because you are such a bloody perfectionist, you couldn't take a score below an O. You'd have a bloody heart attack. Remember your Owls?! You were disappointed because you got ONE Advance! ONE!"

"I am NOT a perfectionist."

"Really? How's NEWT studies coming along?"  
"Don't bring them up!"  
"Studying for them, are you? Three months ahead of time?"  
"Yes… but…"  
"But what?"  
"That's completely out of line!"

"What is? You studying? I agree. THREE MONTHS HERMIONE!"

"Acid Pop." Hermione yelled to the Fat Lady.

"I don't appreciate your tone Ms. Granger. Kindly say it more polite."  
"Just OPEN the bloody portrait! I told you the password."

"I think not." The Fat Lady said stubbornly closing her eyes and folding her arms over her chest.

"Fine." She said, not apologizing, but changing the tone of her voice, "Acid Pop."

Fat Lady nodded and swung the door open, as the pair clambered into the common room, "Don't you DARE tell me that I can't study early, because we'll see who's laughing when you don't pass your Newts and I'm successful."  
"SUCCESSFUL! YOU! Do you think they are going to want a cocky know-it-all working for them? You are unbelievable! Who do you think you are? Merlin, you're acting like a spoiled brat!"

"I am NOT!" She argued back to him, "I want to do everything to make myself the best I can be, not the best in the world! I ENJOY school. I ENJOY studying. I ENJOY knowing all I do. YOU on the other hand are the laziest person. You don't care! You never have. It's always 'Hermione, you're my best friend, can you PLEASE look over my paper.' Or 'Hermione, help me, I need to make this paper longer.' Or 'Hermione, can you please lend me your notes? Mine are horrid.' That's only because you NEVER TRIED! I try! I carried you and you're calling me a know it all! You mock me every time I go to study, or I spend my time in the library instead of out on the Quidditch pitch like YOU! Go ahead and see if I loan you my notes when you need to study for our Newts! Go ahead ask me and see what I say! How DARE YOU!"

Harry and Hermione didn't notice that they were yelling at one another in front of seven of their friends from their eight year, and ones in their seventh. Ginny watched them from her spot on the couch with her mouth wide. Never had she ever heard them talk to one another with such hate. She looked at her brother and saw that he wanted to step in, but couldn't find a place to do it.

"I don't NEED your HELP HERMIONE! I am NOT as dumb as you think I am. I know you feel that Ron and I need you in every aspect of our day, but you're completely mistaken. I do a lot without you, I breath, eat, sleep, live, and study without you being up my arse all the time! Bloody Hell!"

"I'm not going to stay here and listen to you yell at me all day! I'm DONE! I have studying that I should be doing, because you know me, Miss Know-It-All! How DARE YOU!" She said, poking him in the chest, "This know-it-all is finished with you." She said, and turned around in a huff.

Harry grabbed her left arm and spun her around quickly, wrapping his right arm around her waist, pulling her against him, into a bone crushing lip lock. Hermione was shocked at first, and broke the kiss first. She looked into his eyes, her own wide, and saw the same look of shock etched on his face. She touched her lips and then leaned in for another kiss, feeling herself melt against him, she brought her hands up around his neck holding onto him as their kiss deepens. His left arm firmly wrapped around her waist, his right entwined in the mess of curls on top of her head. It didn't matter who was around them at that moment, even though the Gryffindor's were standing there, watching their first kiss ever. They broke apart after a couple minutes. Harry brought his hand up to cup her cheek, their eyes not leaving one another's.

"Um, can I say its' about time?" Seamus said, smiling at the new couple.  
"Here, here." Neville smiled.

"Who won the bet?" Dean smiled.

"I believe you just kissed your… what did you tell me on the hunt, oh your sister." Ron said, clasping Harry on the back, "I tried to tell you it was bullshit."

"Shut up Ron." Ginny said, pushing her big brother away from their best friends, "It's about time."

Hermione blushed scarlet and buried her face in Harry's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and placed his chin on her head, "Yeah, well, better late than never."  
"You were pushing it mate." Ron smiled, clasping him on the back.

Hermione looked up from Harry's chest, and said, "Let's get out of here for a while."  
He nodded, and took her hand. They left in a round of applause.

"Someone in here owes me ten sickles." Ron said, "I said in March, and Oh look it's March."

"You're an insider." Seamus said, throwing a pillow at Ron.

"Oh no, I had NO idea! You think they would have told me this? Pay up."  
Hermione and Harry rolled their eyes and left.

* * *

That left them five months later at the Burrow, in late August, sitting in the grove under the trees. The moonlight lit up the entire field, and made Hermione's hair shine gold. Tonight was hard for them, because Hermione was leaving. She was heading to the States to study to become a healer. She would be gone for months at a time. It was a two year course. Neither one of them wanted to talk. They just sat there, enjoying each other's company. The Weasley's invited Hermione to stay with them for her last week. She had been back and forth between her house and theirs all summer, staying over during the weekends. The end of the week came far too quickly for their liking. After her goodbye party, thrown by the Weasley clan, she decided to get ready for bed, considering it was almost midnight, when Harry came to the door and told him to join her. She could never say no to him and wanted to spend every last minute by his side. That landed them in the grove, and Harry sat, thinking about when she first told him she was leaving....

* * *

"Harry!" She squealed as she apparated to the Burrow.

"What is it?" He asked, jumping at the surprise of his girlfriend.

"LOOK!" She said more forcefully

"Hermione, look at what?" He asked, as she threw the paper under his nose.

_Dear Ms Granger,_

_We are proud to let you know that you have been excepted into our Healers Program…_

"Hermione that's WONDERFUL!" He said, not reading the rest, "Congratulations!"

She beamed, "Thanks."

"Where is it?"  
"In the States." She said, quietly.

"What States? America?!" He said, a bit shocked.

She nodded, "It's probably the best school there is for becoming a Healer. I wanted the best, and it was the only one I applied to."  
Harry could feel his entire posture sag, and his heard drop into the pit of his stomach. He felt nauseous, but wanted to support his girlfriend, so he put on a huge smile, "This is BRILLIANT! WONDERFUL! Congratulations Hermione!"

"It's a two year program."

"Brilliant." He grinned, pulling her into a hug, though his face dropped as she hugged him tightly. What he couldn't see is that so did hers.

* * *

The end of July came, and Hermione stayed at the Burrow for Harry's birthday. Hermione was no where to be found after cake and ice cream was given out.

"Ron? Have you seen Hermione?"  
"No." He said, his mouth stuffed with cake.

"Gin?"  
"No." She shrugged, "Maybe she's upstairs."

"She went out for a walk." George replied, as he helped his mum clean up the kitchen, "She said she'll be right back."

"Where did she go?" Harry asked.

"Haven't the foggiest." Fred said, "But she went towards the grove."

"Thanks." Harry said, as he walked out of the house. He walked through the dark grove, which was lit only by the light glow of his wand. It was a gorgeous night, not a cloud in the sky, and a warm breeze blew through his hair. He walked until he saw a dark form standing at the top of the hill, overlooking a field below and millions of stars above.

"Hermione?" He said softly, startling the girl.

"Oh… Harry. Hi." She said, as he walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Sickle for your thought?" He whispered into her ear as he rested his chin on her shoulder and his cheek was flush up against her own. He realized that his cheek was suddenly wet and knew she had been crying, or still was.

She said nothing, except turned to him, tears shining like diamonds in the moonlight. She threw herself against him, and sobbed. He was stunned and didn't know what brought this on. He held her as she cried. Trying to comfort her as much as he could, he rubbed her back in soothing circles, "What is it?" He asked.

"I don't want to go." She said, clinging to his shirt, "I'm going to miss you so much."  
He sighed, "Hermione…"  
"I don't want to go Harry. I can find another school, closer to home. One that is just as good as the one in the States."

He pulled her back from him, and looked at her in the eyes, "You're lying to me. You want to go."

"No, I don't.. .I mean, I do… but I don't. I don't want to leave you. I don't want to lose you."  
"You are NOT going to lose me." He said, "Believe me, if you were, it would have been years ago."

"I just love you so much." She said, sniffling.

"I love you too, but Hermione, Merlin, you told me that this was the best school out there for becoming a healer."  
"I can find another one." She said, "One that's just as good."  
"How can the others be just as good if this one is the best."

"It's so far."

"Sit with me." He said, gently taking her hand and walking over to the grove with her, leaning against the Tree, she sat next to him, still looking at him, "This is something you need to do Hermione. You were so excited a couple days ago… what happened?"  
"I realized that you are my everything. I can't be away from you."

"You're not going to be. I mean, we're going to see one another, we'll write, you're not going to lose me."

"I'm scared. It's a new country, a new life, new people, new everything."

"And when you come home from it, I'll still be here, the same, and madly in love with you." He said, causing her to sigh, "If you don't go Hermione, or at least try it out for the time being, you're going to regret it. Three months isn't long at all. It's, ninety days."

She smiled, "I know how to count thank you. I'm just scared. Scared to lose you, scared to go somewhere new, scared of everything."

"In eight years, I haven't spent more than a month away from you. We'll be fine. I'll be training to be an Auror during this time, and you'll be training to Heal. It will be fine, and in the end, we'll be together."  
She nodded, "You're right. I'm just going to miss you."

"Me too." He said, pulling her against him, he breathed deeply, inhaling the night air and the soft sent of her perfume.

"Happy Birthday love." She said, as he wrapped his arms tighter against him.

"Thanks." He said, kissing her head.

* * *

Once again, Harry and Hermione sat with one another and he inhaled deep, breathing in the same sent as the night of his birthday. He loved her. He didn't want to lose her. He couldn't think about that. It was too difficult. He wanted to remember her now. He wanted to remember this moment forever.

"Promise me." Hermione said, as she felt the tears beginning to flood her eyes.

"Promise you?" Harry asked as she broke the silence.

"Promise me that we'll be together after I'm done with school."  
"I promise."  
"Promise me that we'll never, ever, be apart for long."  
"I promise."  
"Promise me you'll love me, for the rest of our lives."

Harry maneuvered her in his arms, getting her to look at him, "I promise." And he sealed it with a kiss.

"So do I." She said, as they broke apart.

"Promise me." Harry said, using his thumbs to wipe her eyes.

"I promise. " She said.

Harry wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on her shoulder, as he kissed her neck softly, "You need to get up early… you should probably go to sleep."  
She shook her head no, "I need to be right here, with you. "  
"You'll always be here with me Hermione."

"I 'm not ready to leave you yet. I don't want to go."

"We discussed this Hermione. You have to go. This is just something you need to do. As much as I am going to miss you, I can't be the reason you missed out on something you have wanted to do since our first year."

"I didn't."  
"Yes you did. You looked at me one day and said that you wanted to be a healer. Then it changed a bit, but I always knew you'd do that."  
"I forgot about that…"  
He smiled, "I didn't."

She looked up into his emerald eyes, "I promise."

He nodded, and felt her shiver. He tightened his grip around her and sighed. He'd miss her, but it was only for little while. He would be seeing her before he knew it. They made plans that he would come out during her short three day weekend breaks, though they were few, and she would be home during the holidays. They would make it work. They promised one another.

At almost two in the morning, Harry and Hermione made their way back into the house. Harry was staying in Ron's room and Hermione was in the Twin's old room. He dropped her off at the room, and she kissed him, but didn't release his hand. Instead, she pulled him into the room with her, closing the door, she curled up against him, not wanting to let him go at all. Not wanting to give up any time that she could be with him, "Promise me, you'll wait."  
"I will. Promise me you'll wait."  
"I promise." She said, as he kissed her yet again, "I love you."

"I love you." And the pair fell asleep.

The next morning, Hermione was to catch a port key at eight in the morning. "I'll see you before you know it." Harry reassured her.

"I don't want to go." She said, tears flowing against his neck as she hugged him.

"You have to go." He said, kissing her tears away, "We talked about this."  
"I'm going to miss you so much." She said.

"Hey." He said, tilting her chin up, "I promised didn't I?"

"Yes."  
"And you promised didn't you?"  
"Yes."  
"Have we ever broken our promises to one another before?"  
"No."  
"And I don't plan on starting." He said, "I'll see you soon, three months for Christmas, if not before. I'll write."  
"Me too. I love you, so much."  
"I love you too." He said, "Always."

With a final, passionate kiss, Hermione grabbed the port key and was whisked away. Ron came up as he saw his best friend staring at the place his girlfriend stood. He clasped him on the back, "Alright Harry?"  
He nodded, "I'm fine. It's not forever."

Ron nodded, "It took you eight years to get together, and after only five months, she has to move."

He sighed, "I love her."  
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Ron said.

"Well, I don't know how much fonder of her I can get." He smiled.

It was only three months. Three very long months, and they both promised. Harry sent her a simple letter that stated all his feelings in a nutshell. Hopefully it would put her fears of leaving him to rest.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I love you. Always and forever. Remember that. I promise._

_Love,_

_Harry

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_I believe that this is my shortest fic EVER! I beat this out last night, it just came to me as I was sitting on my bed reading.  
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_So like it? Love it? Review please.  
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_I always appreciate your reviews!!_

_*Stary_


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